Teaching Handling

[Tom Dunn]

A couple years ago, at a LPOH club, I was speaking to a highly respected trialer/breeder. I said to him that I really didn't understand the basics of teaching handling. He just kinda looked at me and said "I don't either..."

Is a good handling hound the product of his or hers good bloodlines, or is it something that needs to be taught, or both? Some dogs seem to respond so well and others, well, they seem a bit more strong-willed about getting piced up.

[SilverZuk]

In my opinion how a dog handles depends on a few things.

1. How much it was handled as a pup and adult.
2. Intelligence
3. Stubborness (which is probably a lack of intelligence to some degree).

1. Just like people, the more we do something the more routine it is. If a dog is never handled, it will wonder why you are yelling and try to catch it.

2. An intelligent dog learns quickly what the routine is "Hey he calls my name I better head that way".

3. Stubborn dogs are showing a lack of intelligence when you call and call, and then half to shock them or chase them down to catch them.

Beagles are not mental giants compared to some dog breeds. That is part of it though. If they had brains they would work like coyotes and wolves with chase dogs, cutting dogs, and intercept dogs. Beagle traits are to drive a track through the gates of hell and back without ever letting up. So stubborness is expected to some degree, but they have to have enough brains to learn basic commands and what the routine is based on other dogs actions.

Personally, I hate a dog that won't handle. I've been to trials that we had to wait 30 and 45 minutes why some joker was trying to catch his dog. I've hunted with folks that could not bring there dogs in without shocking them. Either the dog or the owner is lacking mental horsepower when a dog won't handle.

[Kazoo]

All bets are off when they have a nose full of rabbit smell.
I've had the best handling dogs go deaf when on a hot line.

Personally, I think rabbit scent is a powerful nerve poison.
Seriously effects the short term memory.
The dogs forget their name, where they live who the owner is even their social security number.

Work with them as much as you have time, then find a little more time and hope for the best.

You will probably never be able to call them off a track, but wait for a breakdown and scream real loud to break their concentration.

You might have half a chance

[crewchf]

You gotta get em to WANT TO COME IN!!!!! Train them to come in with a liver treat or somthing and you'll be in control from then on (unless they're chasing ole buggs,, then all bets are OFF).. Mine are whistle and e-collar tone trained, works like a champ!! We ran into a guy a couple of weeks ago who was thinking about getting in to beagling up at the WMA we use. He says sure wish I could see your hounds,,, I says No Problem buddy,, watch this,, in less then 3 minutes I had all 5 of them, wagging tails and all at his feet!!! He LOOKED SHOCKED,, didn't know beagles would do that he said and I told him it's all in the training you give em!!!!
Crew Chief

[Greg H]

Try running em till they are about ready to drop. Even the stupid ones handle when they are completely exhausted.

I also teach the "DOWN" command early in their life.

[coolbrze]

A lot of time invested at an early age is what I think leads to a good handling dog. It's easier to catch the fly w/ sugar than vinegar. You gotta make them want to please you.

[snowshoehareguide]

if dogs in hearing u should be able to call it in- if it has a nose full of rabbit or not-

now im not saying i can do this with every dog i own- but if i cant i consider it " still in training" --

It's easier to catch the fly w/ sugar than vinegar.


teach it with sugar and enforce it with vinegar-

there is no better feeling than having dogs running and its getting dark and they are headed into a huge thicket and u can call them off - or headed for a road or posted land or whatever reason u want to call them-- the most pig headed dog can be made to mind if hes wearing an e collar- my best dog has always handled naturally - didnt need any training- she wants to please- i used an ecollar on her about twice a few years ago- cured her hearing problem i would almost bet money i can call her off a good track anytime-

my next best dog is as stubborn as they come- still working on her-

u can call her off a rabbit most the time - she will come in to my feet and is whining and complaining but she comes in -- i dont run a collar on her all the time but she needs refresher course now and again- shes the type that would drop dead running -

dog number 3 -- sometimes will just lay down when bumped with collar- if shes within a few hundred yards will come in--
still working on her- dont have it perfected yet but i will
dog number 4-- just got him - handled pretty good when he came here shocked him once or twice -- call him every time now - they are all a little different but with a little work u can train them to come

dogs do just about what they are allowed to get away with- i used to tolerate dogs i had to tackle-

i cant phsycally run them down anymore so i use e-collar - if u use it right u wont harm any dog and if doesnt handle and u cant outrun it u got nothing to lose -

[snowshoehareguide]

start with pups -- teach them to come when called with treats -

if they ignore u run em down and roll em on their back-hold them there a minute-- he will come now--

teach the down comand as pups too - lots of beagles seem to get this naturally - if u can teach pup to come or down he may never figure out u cant run him down when hes older
this is all u ever will have to do with some u raise from pups-
older dogs - try a length of weedeater line-

step on it and call them to you

gradually add more distractions-

can use a long rope-- baler twine ,
or work in a fenced area if u have one

when they come ,praise them up or give treat- its all good that dog comes when he feels like it - to teach a stubborn dog u will have to be able to back it up -- if u cant phsycally outrun dog u can use e-collar to back it up


-u dont teach it with collar -
u enforce it with collar- - ive often skipped this and sometimes u get away with it - have seen dogs messed up or set back a little when someone skipped the basic training and grabbed the magic wand-- (including me) e collar isnt a magic wand -

i use lowest settings on e collars as much as possible for everything except trash breaking - - often times the tone button is all thats needed -


if dog allows u to put on collar with tail wagging u are using it about right - let dog wear collar alot --not just when u corect it - work on one thing at a time- you can stop about any unwanted behavior with an e collar - but dont confuse dog by trying to fix everything at once-dont shock dog everytime hes wearing a collar- its very important that dog isnt afraid of that collar and doesnt act all humped up when hes wearing it-- u know your dog better than i do- go easy -

its just a tool - since they are adjustable at transmitter they are just about greatest tool ever invented for a houndman

the guys that can train dogs without one are probably the ones that would benefit most-- they know what to do--and when to do it- just think of e collar as having a longer arm--

i dont own any stock in tritronics- i broke my back a few years ago and if wasnt for e-collar i couldnt have hunted at all- traded a dog for a brand new 3 dog shock collar and kept on hunting--found out i could teach dogs to handle very quickly and it has a carry over affect-- if they get in habit of minding u --they will always mind u- everybodies happier -

i have a buddy thats in a wheelchair that handles a couple coyote dogs - -ask him what he thinks of his e collar- most coyote dogs ive seen are trained no better than the coyote theyre chasing-- --its amazing what can be done if u put a little work into it-

[miltiades]

I have kept my pups in the house since I brought them home. The first thing I taught them was "sit" and then it was sit every time we come in and out of the house, every time I feed, everytime I put them in and out of the crates, they are pretty good at it now.

Next was "here". I started with a 6 foot lead to teach them what I wanted. I just back up and say here while giving little pops with the leash. I used just a regular nylon collar, not choke chain or prong. Once they got the idea, I moved to a 50 foot training line and worked from there. I also have taught them to come to a whistle. I admit that I bribed them with treats some of the time so that they are excited to come to me.

When they come back from the starting pen I will begin with the e-collar. I think now that they have some basic obedience training, I can move to reinforcement.


Mainly I want to be able to stop them if they are heading towards a road or something like that. I think every dog should have some obedience training. I believe it makes for a better realtionship for you and the dog.

good luck

Ben

[KYHunter79]

Here's a tip as to how we teach dogs to handle. We teach them to handle at home in the yard or take them to a local baseball park (with the chainlink fences surrounding it). We try to never train them in a hunting enviroment. There are too many distractions that will disrupt them, we like to get rid of all the negative reinforcement that may have to be used in a non-hunting enviroment, we like them to handle before they are ever taken afield. Just a couple of reasons we choose to do so. Using an e-collar works best, imo. Of course I am mainly refering to coonhounds, but they are harder to get to handle than beagles because they may be a mile or more away when you call them.

[TOUCHSTONEBGLS]

Some dogs are easier to train than others. Some is genetic, some due to temperament type, mostly the trainer. While helping to run local obedience classes the effort was to train the handler to train the dog. Dealt with all the combinations from a trainable handler with a trainable dog to the far extreme. Also many training methods. Some trainers use only one method. I prefer to learn many methods because what works for one dog may not work as well for the other. I prefer to keep the training fun for the dog. Very outgoing dogs with correct temperament are easier to train. A dog that can take a firm correction and then bounce right back after praise for a correct response is the ideal. Shy or very soft tempered dogs are harder. Shock collar training is a poor substitute for real training. ( Except for trashbreaking!) If a shock collar is used at all, the dog should allready know the commands. Any shocking should only be used to reinforce what a mature dog allready knows.